“ As we were studying people longer , we began to see that a lot changed for them after five years . We saw some great improvements , but also some declines in many individuals .”
Study Finds Brain Injuries Are Chronic Conditions That Require Lifelong Management
“ As we were studying people longer , we began to see that a lot changed for them after five years . We saw some great improvements , but also some declines in many individuals .”
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More than 1.5 million Americans suffer a traumatic brain injury ( TBI ) each year , oftentimes resulting in permanent disability , including struggles with memory , mobility , mental health and cognitive function . For those with a TBI , their struggles usually don ’ t end when treatment does .
An ongoing longitudinal study of 1,400 patients by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine reveals that traumatic brain injuries don ’ t stabilize after a couple of years as previously thought .
Instead , as researchers analyzed more than 25 years of data , they found that TBIs need to be treated as a dynamic and chronic condition that requires ongoing resources and care .
“ As we were studying people longer , we began to see that a lot changed for them after five years . We saw some great improvements , but also some declines in many individuals ,” said Jennifer Bogner , professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Ohio State ’ s College of Medicine . “ Many of the people we speak with have